Floyd Mallory Shumway Jr.

Background

Floyd Mallory Shumway Jr. was born on September 8, 1917, in New York City, New York, United States.

Education

Shumway graduated from Yale University in 1939. Later, in 1965, he received his master's degree from Columbia University, as well as his doctor's degree in history in 1968.

Career

In his early career, Shumway worked stints as an editorial assistant for Prentice-Hall, claims department for Liberty Mutual Insurance Corporation, and sales executive for General Electric Corporation. He was a partner in the Chicago manufacturers’ agency Shumway-Fresen Corporation from 1952 to 1958. In 1955 Shumway also joined the staff at R. H. Wilson Corporation as an associate. He served as vice president and editor of Remsen-Whitney Publishing in the early 1960s.

Shumway's work as an educator began in the late 1960s, first at Rutgers University as a history instructor, then at Columbia University, where he eventually became assistant dean of the School of General Studies. He later taught at New York University and Yale University. In addition, he served as executive director of the New Haven Colony Historical Society.

Shumway wrote several books, including David and Nathaniel Shipman: The Two Leatherstockings, Founding the American Colonies, 1583-1660 (with John E. Pomfret), and Seaport City: New York in 1776. He also edited John Jay: The Making of a Revolutionary, 1745-1780 (with Richard B. Morris) and New Haven: An Illustrated History (with Richard Hegel). The latter book led to a permanent exhibit at the New Haven History Society building. Additionally, Shumway edited a text about the Amistad trial, which occurred in 1839 after a group of Africans, captured and sold into slavery, revolted aboard the Spanish ship La Amistad and killed members of the crew. Yale Press released the book.

Achievements

• Shumway was best known as a historian and scholar, who made a great contribution to the educational process of Rutgers University, Columbia University, New York University and Yale University.

Works

More photos

• book

  • Seaport city: New York in 1775 1975

Religion

Shumway chaired the Board of Deacons and was a trustee of the First Church of Christ in New Haven.

Membership

Shumway was a longtime member of the American Historical Association. He also chaired the Friends of the Benjamin Franklin Papers at Yale University, and he served on the boards of the Connecticut Historical Society, the New Haven Preservation Trust, the Acorn Club, the Friends of the New Haven Free Public Library and the Friends of the Grove Street Cemetery.

Personality

Shumway was kind, gentle and utterly without pretension.

Connections

Shumway had two sons and a daughter from his first marriage. Emma Jean Clifton Shumway was his second wife.

2-nd wife:

Emma Jean Clifton Shumway